


Saving His Heart

by justanoutlaw



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Parent Issues, Underworld (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 10:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14186478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: Queens don't plead...but they do reason. Regina goes to the sheriff station to try to do just that for David.





	Saving His Heart

Regina pushed her way into the sheriff’s station. It was late, Robin would probably kill her if he knew where she was but she didn’t really care in that moment. She had heard of James’ plan and knew she had to put a stop to it. They were there to save someone, not leave anyone behind.

 

It was ironic, the more she thought about it. So many year spent trying to kill Snow White and her prince charming, now she’d do anything she could to save them. Family was funny that way.

 

She found him sitting behind the desk, a mirror image of David. A less intelligent person wouldn’t be able to tell them apart, but there was clearly a difference here. When she ran into Cruella, she told her that James carried himself a lot differently than David and that much was clear. A part of her could relate with James. He had an abusive father that sent him down the wrong path, she had an abusive mother that had done the same. Both used their anger to do terrible things and it allowed her to spiral out of control.

 

Regina didn’t want that for James. Especially if meant hurting David.

 

“Hello, James,” she said.

He looked up from his paperwork and smirked. “The Evil Queen. I heard you were down here.”

“It’s Regina.” She walked closer to him. “I’m friends with your brother.”

“I suppose you’re here to plead for his life.”

“I may not be evil anymore, but queens don’t plead.”

James rolled his eyes. “Then why are you here?”

“To help you.”

“I don’t need your help. In case you haven’t noticed, I have everything I could ever want, right here.” James gestured around the station. “I’m the sheriff, I have a sexy girlfriend and now I can finally get the revenge I always wanted.”

“On David? The other innocent party in all of this.”

“Mother chose him.” James rose to his feet. “She sent me away, to live with…him.” A scowl was written across his face but she saw the way he flinched at the mention of George.

“I was a lot like you once, James,” she said. “I grew up with a mother who wanted me to be as dark as she was, she tormented me and quite literally ruined my life. Yet for so long, I took out my anger on everyone but her. I held a grudge against a little girl who didn’t know better. I allowed the pain and vengeance consume my heart and it didn’t help things feel better.”

“You can’t tell me that seeing Snow White suffer didn’t feel good?”

She paused. “It did. At first. But after a while, it wasn’t much fun anymore. I realized that by hating, all I was doing was hurting myself. I’m not saying you have to reconnect with your brother, but this isn’t his fault. He didn’t decide what happened the night you two were separated. He also went with George and it nearly ruined his life as well.”

“Father isn’t down here, it’s not like I can really hurt him.”

“I know that. But is hurting David really going to help you?”

James narrowed his eyes. “Just because you grew soft doesn’t mean that everyone else has to.”

 

Regina looked into James’ eyes and wondered if this is what her father saw every time he pleaded with her. The anger, the vengeance, the stubbornness. There was nothing that could be said or done to change her mind, why did she think it would work with James?

 

“Fine,” she said, calmly. “I won’t just let you kill him, I’ll do all I can to protect him and this family.”

“Go right ahead. My mother had her protectors too, it didn’t help her much.”

Regina tilted her head. “Ruth was here?”

“She came down not long after I did, tried to plead for forgiveness.” He bit his lip. “I didn’t kill her, I just made a deal with Hades to make sure that she passed on.”

“If you spared her, why can’t you spare David?”

“Look at it this way, I’m doing David a favor. Soon, he’ll be reunited with our mother. Goodbye, Regina.”

 

She stared at him for another moment before walking out the door.


End file.
